La Rencontre Momentanée
by Awesome Opossum
Summary: [Slash, LMHP] Lucius, initially seeking revenge for being denounced as a Death Eater, captures Harry Potter and takes him back to the manor. However, while there, they warm up to each other considerably. Rating for pairing and some sexuality. COMPLETE
1. Stranger on Privet Drive

[A/N – Wow. First time I've finished a long, multi-chapter fic. Yeah, it's all done (If I did it in spurts it would've been abandoned halfway through :-p) and I think I'll update this on a weekly basis. Anyway. Oh, I should warn you all, shouldn't I? Lucius/Harry fic. Rare pairing, I know, but I like it. :-) Turn back now if the idea squicks you and you don't care to, ahem, broaden your horizons. The rest of you, enjoy.

Oh, and one last thing? If anyone knows a good host that doesn't have pop-up ads (or banner, if possible, but it's got to stay free somehow…) that has FTP access, please please mention it in a review. I need somewhere to put later uncensored versions of the chapters. grin Thanks in advance.]

[Disclaimer – JK Rowling owns them all. Pity.]

Lucius wrapped the invisibility cloak tighter around himself as he peered into the window of 4 Privet Drive. A kitchen, gleaming white and spotless, he noted approvingly. Through the doorway he could see a glimpse of the living room, with beige walls, beige carpet, and beige furniture. Knickknacks were carefully lined up along the mantle above the fireplace, and he could faintly hear a gameshow on the Muggle television out of his sight.

Potter had landed Lucius in Azkaban after announcing him as a Death Eater. However, Lucius had managed to, ah, convince Fudge - with a healthy amount of gold involved - that he had been under the Imperius, due to his high position at the Ministry, the entire time. After he was released he had procured the cloak and traveled to Privet Drive.

Dumbledore had, of course, safeguarded the home against Voldemort, but Lucius doubted there was anything keeping _him_ from taking the brat. But first he needed to observe. To avoid being caught by Potter or his relatives. And out of curiosity.

A blond boy waddled into the kitchen, and Lucius surveyed him distastefully. He looked about the same age as Potter, but was about three times heavier. It was no surprise when he opened the refrigerator and started pawing through its contents.

"Duddy?" a woman called from the living room. "Do you remember what your doctor said about snacking?"

"I'm _hungry_, Mum," _Duddy_ whined.

A blonde woman strode into the kitchen, lips pursed. "We just had dinner an hour ago, Dudley," she reminded him. "You can have some carrot sticks if you'd like."

"Okay," he mumbled, but once his mother had returned to the TV, he snatched a slice of pie with his grubby, dirty hands.

This was going nowhere. Where was Potter? Lucius was aware of his habit of staying with the Weasleys for part of each holiday, but it was much too early for that - school had barely gotten out two weeks ago. He stepped back and surveyed the second story windows. He almost overlooked it at first, but one was lit. The glow was dim, almost as dark as the unoccupied rooms, but no doubt that was Potter's. The window stood apart from the rest, in that it had a thin layer of dirt covering the glass and there were spiderwebs of cracks around the frame. Typical of Potter to neglect to keep up appearances. At least his room reflected his own grooming habits.

Lucius expected to wait a few days before capturing Potter. The plan so far would be to observe for a few hours and apparate back to the manor during the dull moments to freshen up. Once he was acquainted with the family's habits, he could plan when to take Potter. Then he would show him torture worse than that he had suffered at Azkaban.

Lucius stood at the window for the next two hours, waiting for Harry to come downstairs to join his family, but he never did. At eleven, the TV was turned off (Lucius could hear Dudley's complaints from the living room), and the family looked ready for bed. Dudley climbed the stairs with difficulty, gripping the banister to balance himself upon each narrow step.

The blonde woman lingered, along with a stout dark-haired man Lucius hadn't seen before. Potter's uncle, he guessed. "Have you got any plans for tomorrow, Petunia?" he asked as she straightened the throw pillows on the couch.

She sighed. "No, I haven't. Mary Hutchinson asked me to tea, but the women she invited are all so...low-class. I had to say that I had already made arrangements elsewhere."

"I've got the day off," the man told her. "What do you say we and Dudley go out to the theater?"

"That would be nice," Petunia answered thoughtfully. "But would we do with Harry? I don't trust him alone with our things, Vernon. Who knows, he may take all the silver and run off with those _friends - _" her thin lips puckered " - of his and never come back."

Vernon chuckled lowly. "Wouldn't mind him never coming back. But if you're worried about the silver, I'll lock him in his room while we're gone. Can't very well steal anything when he can't even get into the dining room."

Petunia laughed. "Wonderful. I should go pick out my outfit now." And she ascended the staircase in a hurry. The man followed less eagerly, hitting a light switch on the wall, and the house went dark.

Lucius left for the night, and returned at the ungodly hour of eight AM. Harry was in the kitchen, hair messy and clothes wrinkled. How could anyone neglect their own appearance that much, Lucius wondered, even in their own house? He was stirring pancake batter wearily while Dudley hovered behind him. "I don't think you're allowed to have any," Harry told him without turning around.

"You can't tell me what to do."

Harry pointed at a chart stuck to the refrigerator with a magnet. "Have a look for yourself. You can have pancakes when - " he squinted at the chart " - you lose a hundred more pounds. Good luck."

"Maybe you won't be such a know-it-all after you get your face shoved onto a hot skillet," Dudley snarled, grabbing Harry's shoulders and pushing him downward.

Harry struggled, finally pulling his wand out of the waistband of his loose jeans. Dudley yelped and let him go. "Muuum!" he called. "Harry's going to curse me!"

Harry quickly shoved the wand in his pocket as two pairs of footsteps hurried down the stairs. Vernon appeared, red-faced, in the doorway of the kitchen. "Potter?" he growled as Petunia glared from behind him.

"Yes?" Harry returned coolly.

"What were you doing to my _son_?"

"Well, you see, Dudley wanted to break his diet, so I thought maybe I could help him along with this new spell I learned last year. We used it to gut pigs." Harry had again taken out his wand and was twirling it idly through his fingers.

Dudley's chubby face grew red, causing him to look amazingly like his father. "He wouldn't let me have a pancake, Mum," he explained in a pitiful tone. "I can have just _one_, can't I? I'm so hungry, and Harry wants me to starve."

Harry snorted, and Petunia glared at him but said nothing. "Finish up in here, Potter, then I don't want to see your face for the rest of the day," Vernon told him in a dangerous tone.

"You know, I don't think I will." Harry strode away from the stove. "I trust you can manage without me." The back door slammed, leaving all three of the Dursleys looking livid.

A moment later, he rounded the corner not five meters from Lucius. He hesitated, considering taking Potter right then. But he decided against it, because Harry was both alert and armed. While there was no doubt in Lucius's mind that Harry was less powerful and learned than himself, those were still adverse conditions. So he stood in absolute silence, watching the boy with interest.

He climbed a high tree on the border between the Dursleys' house and a neighbor's with practiced motions, perching twenty feet off the ground quite comfortably. "Damn you, Dumbledore," Lucius heard him say. He'd best lower his voice - if he was hiding from the relatives, speaking so loud wouldn't keep him hidden long. "Damn you for making me stay with them. You know perfectly well what they do to me. Why don't you _care_?" Lucius raised an eyebrow, waiting for an explanation, but Harry fell silent.

The Dursleys had finished making breakfast and now were sitting around the table, quite unconcerned that their nephew was gone. And, Lucius noted, Dudley had gotten a towering stack of pancakes, diet be damned.

He guessed that this happened fairly frequently, because Harry looked very secure and comfortable on the thin branch he was balanced on. Of course, his Quidditch skills might account for that. He turned back to watch the Dursleys.

"Duddy, Daddy and I are going to lunch and out to the theater today. Do you want to come?" Petunia asked.

Dudley scoffed. "No. I'm going over to Piers's for the day."

"Alright, honey. Tell his mother that I said hello, and we should have lunch together sometime."

Dudley fought back a smirk. "Yes, Mum."

Lucius was beginning to realize just why Harry didn't spend much time socializing with these people.

After breakfast they hustled about, getting ready for the day. Vernon threw open the front door, surveying the yard. Lucius pressed against the wall, despite being invisible. "Potter!" Vernon roared. "You'd best be inside this house within five minutes or we're throwing your things in the fire - " there was no doubt from this tone that he meant anything but Harry's wand and books " - and roasting your bird!"

Harry was out of Vernon's sight, but perfectly visible from Lucius's angle. He opened his eyes and threw a look of utter hatred toward the doorway. He remained quiet and motionless until the door closed, then climbed down the trunk agilely.

He entered the house, but made the mistake of leaving the door open. Lucius followed him to view the scene better.

"Petunia and I will be out for the day, and Dudley will be over at a friend's," Vernon told Harry. "_You_ are being locked in your room until we return."

"I won't be," Harry answered coldly. "You touch me and I'll curse all of you."

A nasty smile crossed Vernon's face. "We all know that you can't do magic over the summer, or else you'll get _expelled._ Then where would you go, boy?"

"I'd manage in the wizarding world."

"You'll get killed." Harry's eyes narrowed and Vernon continued, "Petunia had a nice chat with that headmaster of yours awhile ago. If you don't stay here for the next year you'll get murdered by V…." He trailed off uncertainly.

"Voldemort," Harry supplied, unimpressed..

"Yes," Vernon confirmed eagerly. "So you're to stay in my house for the summer, and when you're here you abide by _my_ rules." Harry only shrugged. "You disrespectful brat," Vernon growled, and backhanded him so hard that Harry stumbled back a few paces. Lucius watched edgily, contemplating getting involved. As pleasing as it was see Harry get pushed around, it was for the wrong reasons. And he had developed a distaste for this family that nearly overpowered his feelings toward Harry already.

"I told you not to touch me," Harry said in a low tone, withdrawing his wand. Lucius sighed inwardly.

Vernon's reaction was the opposite of Dudley's: instead of scaring him, it just enraged him. He grabbed the wand from Harry's grip and pushed him backwards forcefully. Harry's head hit the mantle with a sharp _crack_ audible on the other side of the room, where Lucius stood motionless. He could see that Harry was struggling not to show the pain he was in.

"Now I want you in your room," Vernon told him. Harry didn't argue this time, just turned and climbed the staircase. Lucius saw a drop of blood roll down the back of his neck.

Vernon dropped the wand on a side table as if he was terrified he'd kill himself by just handling it. Lucius smirked; the stupid Muggle couldn't kill himself with a wand unless he jammed it through his chest. He watched as Vernon withdrew a set of keys, went upstairs, and a minute later came down again, smiling victoriously.

"Petunia, dear?" he called. "Are you ready?"

"Coming, Vernon," she replied from upstairs, descending the steps.

He took her hand that wasn't busy applying blush. "Where's Dudley?"

"He already left," Petunia answered. He shrugged and they left the house. Lucius was alone with Harry at last.

He grabbed Harry's wand from the side table and took the stairs two at a time, still not daring to take off the cloak in case someone happened to glance in through the windows. When he reached the upstairs hallway, he looked around to determine which room was Harry's. The only one closed. With a flap cut into the door? Lucius didn't even stop to wonder what the purpose of _that_ was. He pulled out his own wand while pocketing Harry's and approached the shut door. "Alohomora." There was a dull click as the door unlocked, and Lucius pushed it open.

Harry was curled up on a small bed with a ratty blanket and a recently blood-stained pillow. The wound didn't look as though it would heal soon. And what fun would it be to torture Potter if he dies? With his wand he mended the gash across the back of Harry's skull and cleaned the blood from his hair and pillow.

Harry stirred, and Lucius removed the cloak, shoving it in a pocket. The boy rolled over and gazed uncomprehendingly at Lucius for a moment, then sat up, alarmed. "You're supposed to be in Azkaban," he hissed, reaching for his wand.

"I got out," Lucius replied smoothly. "Imperius curse, you know."

He saw that Harry realized that he didn't have his wand, but he didn't panic. "Why are you here?"

Lucius grinned. "Why, to repay the favor you did me, of course, Potter. Crucio!" And without even pausing to let the curse take effect, Lucius grabbed Harry's arm and apparated both of them back to the manor.


	2. A Touching Heart to Heart

[A/N – I was so planning on updating every Wednesday. But FFN had other plans last night. So y'all get this Thursday instead. :-p I have nothing left to say about this except that I really like the dialogue between Lucius and Harry near the end of this. Oh, and thanking my reviewers: **Ice-Angel06, Jen, Megwin, **and **Lady Phasma**. :-) Nothing perks up my day quite like having a review alert waiting in my inbox. Hint hint. :-p]

The two appeared in a cold, underlit room created entirely of stone. Harry's eyes were closed, still in pain from the Cruciatus curse. Lucius let go of the boy's wrist, and he fell heavily onto the stone ground. "Potter?" Lucius asked with uncertainty. No answer. Lucius nudged him roughly with the toe of his boot. Harry curled up, moaning quietly.

Lucius sneered. "Surely it couldn't have hurt that badly."

"Go to hell," Harry said softly, pulling himself into a sitting position and leaning against the dirt-covered wall.

"I've been there," Lucius snarled. "It's called _Azkaban._ You know nothing of hell, Potter. You will, though. I promise. Crucio!" And he left the room while Harry was still curled up, refusing to cry out in pain.

Narcissa and Draco were in Switzerland for the holiday, and the house elves stayed out of his way as a general rule, so Lucius had the manor to himself. Except for the Potter boy. But he was locked in a tiny, godforsaken room underneath the library. Lucius went about his work for the rest of the day, returning to Harry's room only when the sun had sunken below the line of trees that hid the manor.

Lucius knocked on the door in a mockery of politeness before entering. Harry had obviously recooperated, because he stood as Lucius entered, glaring hatefully.

"Potter," Lucius greeted him cordially. "Feeling better?"

"No thanks to you," Harry answered evenly.

"Of course not."

"You've got my wand, haven't you?" Lucius nodded. "That's cowardly," Harry snarled. "To take my wand, curse me, and then lock me up. I want my wand back."

Lucius laughed. "And why should I comply? It's not _cowardice_, Potter, it's self-preservation. Although you Gryffindors never did grasp the concept," he added as an afterthought.

"So you don't think you could handle me if I had my wand?" Harry asked him.

"I don't think it would be worth the energy to block your spells," Lucius replied coolly. "Are you hungry?"

The sudden change of topic threw Harry for a second; he paused before replying with a defensive, "No."

"Don't be ridiculous," Lucius told him. "I'll have a house elf send something down for you."

"I don't trust you," Harry told him.

"I'm not asking you to. Crucio." He left the room to go fetch a house elf, but noticed that Harry was building a tolerance to the curse - he remained standing this time, at least.

Lucius allowed fifteen minutes to pass after having sent down a house elf to feed Potter. Then he returned to the dim room. Harry, despite not trusting him, had eaten, Lucius noted. Now he was sitting in a corner of the room, most of his face obscured by shadows. Lucius conjured up two armchairs in the center of the room. "Come here, Potter."

"No."

Lucius gritted his teeth and pointed his wand at Harry's chest. "Come _here_, Potter."

Harry glanced at the wand dully. "I'm not impressed anymore, Mr. Malfoy."

Lucius deliberately pocketed his wand again. "Fine, no curses this time. I just want to...talk."

Harry regarded him suspiciously, but pushed himself off the floor with his hands and took the nearer chair. Lucius sat across from him. "Okay," Harry said. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I think you've got a hero complex."

"I have not," he replied angrily. "Those are my _morals_, Malfoy."

"Including turning me in to Azkaban despite that it had no effect on you whatsoever," Lucius said flatly.

" I have no pity for Voldemort's followers," Harry answered.

"Well, that would be admirable. Except you mentioned morals?" Lucius leaned in closer. "I'm going to let you in on a secret. Morals have nothing to do with supporting the Dark Lord."

"Obviously," Harry said dryly.

"You didn't let me finish. Consider, what would happen if the Dark Lord were to fall. Some Death Eaters would be prosecuted, but most would still walk free. Now consider what would happen if Dumbledore were to be defeated. The Dark Lord would take reign, and everyone known to oppose him would be tortured and killed. Would you take that risk?"

"Yes," Harry answered instantly.

"Admirable," Lucius sneered. "As I said before, Gryffindors have no sense of self-preservation. But joining the Dark Lord is much safer than opposing him, surely you can see that."

"Voldemort treats his followers the same way he does his enemies," Harry argued.

"Only the stupid ones," Lucius told him smoothly. "You're not stupid, Potter, we all know that. And Dumbledore has this nasty habit of using you as his human shield, sending yourself off to be killed while he remains safely at Hogwarts. Why would you support someone like that? I thought that you equated self-preservation with cowardice. Why should your Dumbledore get a pass on that?"

Harry's eyes narrowed. "He's not a coward," he spat.

"You've fought the Dark Lord nearly every year since you came to Hogwarts," Lucius pointed out, "while Dumbledore has only interfered once." Harry remained silent. "And surely you realize that the Dark Lord will kill you eventually, don't you? Every time you've escaped alive, it's been because of luck. But," he said in a lower tone, "you would be spared if you agreed to become a Death Eater. We would appreciate someone with your power." Lucius pushed Harry's chin upward, examining his features. "You're still young, of course, but we wouldn't mind. And we wouldn't take advantage of you like Dumbledore has."

"I won't join you," Harry told him stubbornly.

"I see." Lucius stood up abruptly. "You know, Potter, a little-known fact about the Cruciatus curse is that it can be controlled much like the Imperius can: for extended periods of time, at whatever intensity the caster chooses, which can be adjusted accordingly at a whim. Crucio sempur!" Harry gasped in pain and jumped up out of reflex. The chairs vanished with a wave of Lucius's wand and he again left.

Lucius kept Harry under the Cruciatus for an entire day. For the most part he had mercy, issuing only a comparatively dull ache. But when he had imagined that Harry had become too comfortable, he jolted his captive very much awake with more intense pain. It still did not compare to what he had suffered at Azkaban.

He had instructed the house elves to stay clear of Harry's room. He would go and visit Potter himself. Lucius would play both kidnapper and hero to him, and make the offer of salvation by joining the Death Eaters irresistable. Potter was stubborn, but not unbreakable.

When he got home from the Ministry, Lucius lifted the Cruciatus and took a pitcher of water with a glass to the cell. "Potter?" He pushed open the door. Harry was curled in the same corner he had been in previously. Lucius conjured a table next to him, setting the water down on it.

Harry looked up at the sound, saw Lucius, and drew his knees closer to his chest. "Why do you insist on torturing me?" he asked.

"So that you may understand what Azkaban was like," Lucius answered. He poured Harry a glass of water and handed it to him. The boy regarded it suspiciously and Lucius sighed. "It's not poisoned; I need to keep you alive. Go ahead."

He took a hesitant sip. "Why do I need to be kept alive?" he asked with interest. "You'll be taking me to Voldemort soon?"

Lucius shrugged. "Probably."

"And you'll give me back my wand before then?" Harry asked spitefully. "Or does he not want to take any chances that he'll be defeated again?"

"If I were to take you to the Dark Lord it would be because you chose to join the Death Eaters. If you decline, I'll kill you myself," Lucius told him.

"I'm sure," Harry replied skeptically.

Lucius clenched his teeth. "Potter, you're absolutely impenetrable."

"Jaded," Harry corrected, sipping more water. "You'll have to forgive me, but I've had death threats since I was eleven. I'm hardly to be scared of them anymore."

Lucius drew out his wand. "So you don't think I can kill you right now?"

"I think you _can_," Harry answered, "but I don't think you _will._" He set the cup down and used both his hands to push himself off the ground. "You need me alive for the present time, remember. And I also doubt Voldemort would be pleased with you if you were to steal his prized kill from under his nose."

Lucius felt a twinge of respect for the boy and how collected he appeared. How self-assured those green eyes looked. He smoothed his hair, hoping he didn't look flustered. "Just because it would be inconvenient to kill you right now doesn't mean that I'm harmless." Harry laughed unexpectedly, and Lucius bristled. "Just what is so amusing?"

"I think that you've got quite a high opinion of yourself," Harry answered with a smirk.

"I could say the same of you," Lucius told him evenly. He turned on his heel to leave.

"Where're you going?" Harry answered. "You always stalk in, hurl insults at me, and then stalk out five minutes later."

Lucius gritted his teeth before turning back around to face the brat. "Potter, I do not _stalk_ anywhere."

"You do. You should watch yourself sometime."

"And furthermore," Lucius continued, ignoring him, "the only reason I'm here at all is to insure that you haven't dropped dead. Although that's not a bad thing in its own way. But what would you _like_ me to do while here, if not merely check up on you?"

"I don't know. I'm just bored, I guess. You can go if you want." Harry chewed his lower lip. "How long will I be here?"

"Until you agree to become a Death Eater - "

"You'll be waiting awhile, then."

" - or I get tired of you and end up killing you off."

"I'll be waiting awhile, then," Harry smirked.

"Careful, Potter," Lucius hissed. "Such self-confidence gets you into dangerous situations." And with nothing left to say, he again turned and left, making careful efforts not to stalk.


	3. The Pit

[A/N – A new chapter for all y'all. :-) Hehe, let's have a bit of background information for this chapter… a couple years ago I began a _different_ Lucius/Harry fic. A worse one with much unnecessities about it. :-p But this scene was part of it, and I still really really like it. It got all polished up, and here it is. Hurt/comfort sort stuff, with our first glimpse of slash. :-)

And let's thank the reviewers before we begin:

**Lady Phasma – **Ooh, two reviews from you now. Does that mean I've got a dedicated reviewer? :-) (No pressure or anything, hehe…)

**Marschild **– Your comment honestly made me laugh out loud. Maybe I've just gone round the bend, but I crack up at the idea of him asking Lucius for a deck of cards.

**Dark phoenix in flight – **Thank you. :-)

**GothicAnn87 – **Thanks, and continued!

There, there's your incentive for reviewing; you get your name and a comment in my note. :-p But seriously, I like to hear feedback from anyone reading. Feel free. :-p]

Lucius had just gotten out of a hot shower when there was a knock on the door. He frowned. Who would dare disturb his morning routine? He tied his hair back and pushed the door open. Izzy, one of his house elves, stood there. "Sir?" she said timidly, "Harry Potter, um, isn't in his room."

"He's not in his room?" Lucius repeated. "Was the door unlocked?"

"Yes, sir; I think that it was left that way when you, um." She trailed off, not willing to blame Lucius for anything.

"And do you know where he is?"

"No, sir."

Lucius pushed past her, out of his bedroom, and down the stairs. He can't have gone far, there's a barrier all the way around the manor. But it could take hours to find him. He hurried past the library to the narrow hallway where Potter's room was located.

The door had been pushed almost completely closed by a house elf, but Lucius threw it open. There was no Potter in the room. Lucius ventured further in. Nor was he hiding out in the small adjoining bathroom. Damn. He strode out of the room, wondering frantically where he could have disappeared to.

The room was the first in a long hall of closed, foreboding doors. Behind most hid elaborate torture devices, either to be used deliberately or as makeshift burglar hindrances. Chances were high Harry had wandered into one of them. Lucius's stomach dropped and he started throwing open doors.

Because of his Malfoy blood no traps were triggered when he entered the rooms, but Harry would have no such luck. But each room brought the same result: damp, musty emptiness. Potter was nowhere to be found.

He had checked perhaps thirty doors among three hallways when he heard it: a faint cry for help. Potter's voice. At the other end of the hallway. Lucius broke into a jog to get there, and pushed open the door before he had even stopped.

Potter was hanging from his wrists, suspended by two long chains dangling from the ceiling. Below him, Lucius knew - although in the darkness he couldn't see it – there was a vast pit. If Potter were to slip, he would have plenty of time to scream before he hit the contents of the abyss.

"Mr. Malfoy?" Harry's voice was small and unsure in the darkness. "Help me. Please," he begged.

"And if I decide it would be more amusing to just let you stay here?"

"You can't," Harry answered desperately. "I'm sorry for whatever you want me to be. But I can't get out of this on my own."

Lucius suppressed a smirk at hearing the boy plead. This could be used against him later. "Fine." He pushed his fingers through his hair, disrupting the ponytail he had pulled it into. "You have to be able to follow instructions, however. So I don't know if this will work."

"I'll do whatever you need me to," Harry promised shakily, squirming.

"Alright. First. I'll need to cast some light to aim properly, but when I do, _do not look down._ I can explain why later. For the moment, however, you'll have to trust me."

"Okay." Harry's voice caught in his throat.

"Lumos." Harry obediently kept his eyes trained on Lucius's face. Lucius studied the pit and chains, a frown creasing his brow. Finally he said, "Harry, you promised you would follow directions absolutely, right?"

"Yes."

"I'm going to unlock the chains. Do not try and grab them, and do not squirm. _Let yourself fall._"

"No," Harry replied bluntly.

Lucius gave him a sharp look. "If you don't follow instructions you will be killed. It is really that simple. I'm willing to help you, but I can't if you don't cooperate." Harry bit his lip and nodded. "Thank you. As I was saying. You will let yourself fall, but I'll do the petrifying charm and mobilicorpus immediately after. I can rescue you, but you can't move while I do. Now do you trust me?"

"There's no other way?" Harry asked, panicked.

"No," Lucius told him firmly. "And I won't perform the spell until you trust me because there's absolutely no room for error."

"And what if something does go wrong?" Harry demanded.

Lucius sighed. "I will do everything in my power to keep that from happening. But you have to do the same. Now _do you trust me?_"

Harry hesitated. "I don't have much of a choice, do I," he finally answered quietly.

Lucius raised his wand, and Harry instinctively flinched and grabbed the shackles. "Let go, Harry," Lucius coaxed.

"I'm scared," Harry admitted, keeping his grip on the chains deathly firm.

"Let go, Harry," Lucius repeated. He did so reluctantly. Lucius inhaled deeply. All in one breath: "Alohomora! Petrificus totalus! Mobilicorpus!"

Lucius levitated Harry from above the pit and lowered him onto the smooth, safe stone in the hallway. He knelt next to the boy and murmured, "Apetrificus."

Harry sat up shakily. Lucius straightened up and tucked his wand back in his pocket. He offered his hand to Harry, who accepted and got up, trembling. His knees seemed prone to giving out from under him, so Lucius looped an arm around Harry's waist.

"What was that place?" Harry asked as they walked down the hall. "And what was in the pit?"

Lucius answered grimly, "That lovely piece of work was my great-uncle's idea. This whole section - " he nodded at the halls around him " - was created so it wasn't likely a thief could manage to get through to the manor, as there's an entrance along the back wall. That particular room was especially grotesque, I think. Shackles clamp around the intruder's wrists once they're aware of the hole in the middle of the room. They're left to dangle there until they starve and grow so emaciated they simply slip out of the manacles. Or, if they decide that will take too long, they chew through their own arms. As to what's in the pit," he suppressed a shudder, "well, it was just an empty hole at first. Now it's filled with the half-decomposed bodies of burglars and just those that someone decided to torture, as well as whatever byproducts they spilled while they were there." He spoke calmly, but was sure his features betrayed his thoughts. "Are you alright?" Lucius asked abruptly a moment later. "You're still shaking."

"I'll be fine," Harry answered, an obvious lie.

They emerged into the main hall, and Harry squinted at the unexpected brightness of the gold and white marble. "You'll be staying in a guest bedroom from now on, I think," Lucius told him lightly, letting him go to point out the key features. Next to him. "The library." Across the hall. "The dining room. Behind that is the kitchen. If you ever need a house elf that will be where you can find them." He glanced at the open hallway of the second story that the sweeping staircase led to. "Your bedroom will be the third door from the right." He motioned to it. "There's a bathroom adjacent to that to get cleaned up in, and an armoire of clothing in your size as well." He cast a disparaging glance at Harry's current outfit. "Please, boy, get out of those rags, I beg you."

Harry looked down at the filthy, tattered, and oversized clothes that covered him. "They're my cousin's," he shrugged.

Lucius sneered. "I'm not surprised. I unfortunately had to be at the Ministry three-quarters of an hour ago, but I trust I can leave you to your own devices until this evening." He smoothed his hair and adjusted a wrinkle in the fabric of his robes. "Have a good day, Potter." He swept out the door, leaving Harry, stunned and overwhelmed, standing in the middle of the massive hall.


	4. Decisions, Decisions

[A/N – So I've been super-busy and stressed out for the past week. Trig class and midterm, plus a camping trip tomorrow, means not a lot of free time for 'Possum. So thank you to my reviewers, sorry I can't thank you individually. Next chapter I will. But in any case, onto the fic. Enjoy.]

At promptly five o' clock, Lucius set down his Ministry work and floo'd himself to a small cabin near the manor, built expressly for the purpose. There couldn't be a direct passage from the network into the Malfoy Manor, far too dangerous. He calmly dusted himself off and started toward the manor.

He pushed open the heavy oak double doors and removed his cloak. "Potter?" he called. No answer, but the library door was ajar. Lucius pushed it open and entered.

The library was extraordinary, one unaccustomed to the manor would think. There were shelves upon shelves of books, in every color and size imaginable. They had been collected throughout the entire Malfoy bloodline - and due to such, many were about the dark arts. Lucius wondered idly if Potter had found those. Or some of the cursed books used against the Muggles. He smirked at the thought, then went about the library, looking for the boy.

Harry was in the back, leaning against a solid mahogany shelf filled completely with leather-bound books. Lucius walked up behind him, and when he was close enough, grabbed the boy around the waist with one arm and snatched the book out of his hand with the other.

Harry gasped in surprise. "It's not illegal," he protested before Lucius had even glanced at the cover.

He let the struggling boy go and closed the book. "_Dark Spells for Dark Wizards_," he read off the cover amusedly. "What would you want with this?" he asked. "Have you finally realized that light magic can only accomplish so much?" The book was put back in its place on the shelf and Lucius waited for an answer.

"I wouldn't put it like that, exactly," Harry answered hesitantly, "but if they could be used for self-defense...."

Lucius laughed. "You are such a Gryffindor. Sometimes you need to take the pre-emptive strike. _That_ is what those curses are for."

"Then that's what I'm preparing for," Harry answered more confidently.

"Against who? The Dark Lord?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess. We'll end up killing each other eventually anyway, why shouldn't I at least be prepared for that?"

"That's morbid," Lucius commented casually.

"It's realistic."

"Harry." Lucius took his wrists and guided him to two armchairs facing each other. He pushed the boy into one and sat in the other, leaning forward as he spoke. "Do you remember what I said about the Death Eaters?"

Harry grimaced. "Yes."

"I was serious. Completely serious. Dumbledore opposes any form of dark magic - defensive or otherwise. How far do you think you would get in a real duel with someone who feels differently? Expelliarmus hardly holds up to the killing curse."

"It did before," Harry said quietly.

Lucius sighed. "That was luck, and we all know it. But that's all that Dumbledore expects to protect you. Anything more severe is considered dark magic, and he's tried to shelter you from using it ever since you first obtained a wand. But how much longer will you be able to do that?"

He took Harry's left arm, pulled up the sleeve, and started tracing the Dark Mark into the skin with his fingernail. "We would help you," Lucius promised as they both watched his nail cut the grotesque figure into Harry's skin. "We support the dark arts. We would be able to defend you. To think that Dumbledore and his limited light magic would be able to defeat the dark arts is idiocy."

Harry pulled down his sleeve desperately. "I can't support Voldemort," he said. "He killed my parents. At least Dumbledore was on their side."

Lucius dropped Harry's arm but stared intently into his clear green eyes. "What has Dumbledore ever done for _you_?" he asked coolly. "He's using you, whether or not you realize it."

"I know," Harry admitted in a quiet voice.

Lucius considered this a small triumph. "And," he continued, "yes, the Dark Lord killed your parents. He'll kill you as well if you don't join him. Your parents sacrificed their lives for _you_." The boy winced. "If you're killed as well, what good will that be to anyone?"

"And what good will it be if I end up locked in Azkaban?" Harry retorted.

Lucius shrugged. "The Dementors have rebelled, Azkaban isn't the hell that it once was. And besides, if you're a Death Eater you _could_ be thrown in Azkaban. If you're working against the Dark Lord you _will_ be killed. Do you see the distinction, Potter?"

"And who's to say that I won't defeat him?"

Lucius laughed. "The only person to ever face the Dark Lord and survive is...you. How long do you think it will be until your luck runs out?"

"I've battled him almost every year since I came to Hogwarts," Harry answered, "and lived. Doesn't that count for something?"

"You've never done it relying solely upon your magic. There's always a glitch in the plan, some unforseen twist that saves you. I told you, Harry, your luck is running out. You've come to rely on these glitches - how long will it be until you face Lord Voldemort yet again and everything goes as planned, with no convenient loophole?" Lucius sat back. "That wouldn't even be a concern if you were to join us."

Lucius could see Harry quickly processing all of this. "I have no reason to trust you," he finally answered coldly. "How should I know that if you were to take me to Voldemort it wouldn't be just so he could kill me?"

"Boy, if that were my intention you would already be dead."

Harry hesitated. "And if I want to learn the dark arts without joining Voldemort?"

Lucius shook his head. "It doesn't work like that. Either you're with him or against him. And I'd like to know which side you're on." He rose from the chair. "I'll let you think it over. But ultimately I want a decision. And your life depends on it." He left the library, leaving Harry sitting there, slowly rubbing his left forearm.

---

Dinner had always been served promptly at six-thirty every night at the Malfoy manor, and tonight was no different. Lucius put down his quill, noted the time, then rose to get Harry.

He was still in the library where Lucius had left him, curled in the overstuffed armchair and staring at the ground, deep in thought. "Potter." He looked up. "Come eat."

"And if I don't want to?" Harry challenged him.

Lucius refused to lose his patience with the boy. "I'd rather you did. You can return here and do nothing after dinner," he promised with a wry smile.

Harry flushed. "I was just...thinking."

"I know. You can think over dinner. Now come." Harry rose from his spot reluctantly and followed Lucius to the dining room.

Lucius took a seat in his usual spot, and motioned for Harry to sit across from him. A house elf bowed and hurriedly placed a plate in front of each of them. "Well?" Lucius asked as Harry stared down at the table.

"I don't know," he answered listlessly.

"Lord knows you've had plenty of time to think it over."

Harry looked up. "An hour? To decide whether or not I'm going to devote my life to Voldemort?" He snorted. "That's realistic."

"You make it all sound so final," Lucius commented.

"Well, it is, isn't it? If you leave the Death Eaters you get killed. If you - If I, don't join at all I get killed." He pushed the food around on his plate. "And if my friends find out _they'll_ be very nearly killed from the shock."

"It's not that difficult to conceal," Lucius told him. "And even if you are caught you can say you were forced."

"You don't understand," Harry said desperately. "If anyone were to see the Dark Mark on the Boy Who Lived?" He pronounced it with an ironic, weary smile. "Ron and Hermione wouldn't want anything to do with me. Any adults would have me sent to Azkaban. My relatives, well, they would just assume I was in a gang." He shrugged. "If Dumbledore found out." He stopped abruptly at the thought. "And what would Sirius have thought? Or my parents?"

"We've discussed them already, didn't we?" Lucius drawled.

Harry's eyes flashed. "We did. But what, now they don't matter anymore?" He pushed his hair out of his eyes agitatedly, giving Lucius a good look at his scar. "I don't know. Lose-lose situation." He fell silent and concentrated on his dinner.

Lucius watched him eat. He looked as though he were merely doing it out of habit; his mind was obviously elsewhere. "I wish you would stop sulking," Lucius finally said, annoyed.

Harry looked at him from over the top of his glasses. "I'm not," he replied shortly.

"You are, and you're ignoring me as well."

"I have nothing left to say to you." He stood, and the chair scraped loudly against the stone floor. "I'm leaving."

"Where?" Lucius asked. "You can't go far; there's a barrier around the edges of the property that keep you from getting out."

"I figured you would do something like that," Harry said coldly.

"It also keeps the Dark Lord from sensing that you're here and killing you, so you'd best be grateful. He's nowhere near as patient as I have been." Lucius also stood, ready to follow Harry to wherever he had been planning to hide out.

Harry looked at him distrustfully. "If Voldemort knew where I was all the time I'd already be dead."

"He doesn't work alone. It's part of the, ah, job description as a Death Eater, to keep tabs on where you are."

Harry looked surprised at this - Lucius didn't blame him. But still he remained composed. "That doesn't answer why I'm still alive."

Lucius laughed. "It takes _planning_ to get you in a position where it's not likely someone will interfere."

"Then Voldemort needs to learn to plan better," Harry smirked. "And I still don't want to be here." He left the dining room.

"Oh, don't be angry," Lucius called after him exasperatedly.

Harry turned around. "I'm not, I don't think," he answered. "But I need some time alone." He returned to the library, pulling the heavy door closed behind himself. Lucius sighed quietly and stacked the plates and silverware for a house elf to pick up. He needed some time alone as well; those green eyes were almost too much for him.

---

He spent the next few hours in his study, penning letters to Ministry officials. He had also been straining to hear any noise from the library, adjacent to the office. But it was eleven o' clock before he heard Harry leave. _Good lord, boy, how much introspection must you put yourself through?_ He listened carefully as the door was pulled closed and Harry headed upstairs. Once he was positive that he was in the bedroom, Lucius rose and followed him.

He pushed open the door without knocking. Harry's clothes were in a heap on the floor, and he had put the pajama pants on, but the top was still in his hands. Harry glanced at the open door and blushed when he saw it was Lucius. "Can't you knock?" he asked, annoyed. He pulled the top on quickly, but not enough so that Lucius didn't see the shadows of past bruises etched across Harry's back and chest.

"It's my manor," Lucius replied lazily, coming closer to Harry, "and you're my prisoner." He grabbed Harry around the waist and pulled him closer. It had been a playful action, but Harry cried out and was off like a shot, halfway across the bedroom before Lucius could register what had happened.

"What on earth are you so skittish about?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as Harry's complexion returned to normal, from the deathly white it had been a minute ago.

Harry smoothed his hair. "Nothing, it was nothing, sorry."

"That was not _nothing,_" Lucius said skeptically.

"It doesn't matter," Harry muttered. "You can't do anything about it anyway."

"Would this have anything to do with those bruises?" Lucius guessed.

Harry looked up, and Lucius saw the answer in his eyes before he said anything. So he pressed on, "Your uncle?"

"And my cousin," Harry admitted quietly. "But it's really not that bad... nobody needs to know, I'm fine."

"You're _not_ fine, if they leave bruises like that," Lucius argued.

Harry stepped around him and sat down cross-legged on the four-poster. "Why do you even care?" he asked defensively.

Lucius had a seat next to the boy, ignoring the glare Harry gave him. "I care about your well-being," he answered neutrally. "And I won't let you go back there."

"I have to," Harry said desperately. "At least for the first half of the summer."

"You'll be safer here," Lucius argued. "You'll be protected against the Dark Lord _and_ your relatives."

Harry shrugged noncommittally. "Why did you come in here, anyway?" he asked, pushing his bangs off his face.

Lucius watched the endearing motion and smiled. "Why, to give you a goodnight kiss." He leaned in, wrapping one arm around Harry's shoulders, and kissed him fiercely as he'd been longing to do for awhile now. He felt Harry tense under his touch at first, then relax in in apathy and passiveness. Harry's lips were firmly closed, but his eyes were too, and it altogether was a satisfying moment. Lucius broke away as he stood up. "Sweet dreams."


	5. An Offer He Couldn't Refuse

[A/N – Another chapter. :-) I really haven't got much to say. Oh, except thanking my reviewers.

**SlytherinGoth87** – Had a very nice vacation, thanks. :-) And glad you enjoy the story.

**DARKMARK33LV – **Hehe, I'm happy to get any reviews. I write for me and post for y'all. :-) But I'm really flattered. Thanks!

**nathalie – **Thanks, and I've gone on. :-p

**xikum – **You are cool because you're a critical reader. :-) And while you're right on all counts, well, Lucius has his own agenda to pursue. Harry hasn't really come to terms with the prophecy yet, and Lucius's alternative is looking super-tempting in comparison. Lucius knows this, and is exploiting it shamelessly. Don't worry, he knows what he's doing. :-)

**lonlyheart – **Are the chapters really that short? In my original version I had fifteen. And in most of these chapters I combined two of the old ones, hehe. So yeah, I guess they are. But if it gets too long, I think both me and my readers get bored and start to lose the goal of the story. I'm trying to update often to compensate!

**Bound-to-Evanesce – **No, not nearly enough LMHP fics around here. (Although you might want to check out Furor Scribiendi if you haven't already for more of the same. No, I was not paid to say that :-) ) I'm glad you like it, though.

**KAT15 – **Thanks. :-)

**uten – **Hehe, you very nearly missed it. I was about to upload this and checked my email on a whim, and there was my review alert. As for the prophecy being false, hm. I hadn't ever considered that before. But that wouldn't be much of a prophecy, would it? :-p No, as I mentioned before (not that I expect you to read other people's comments…) Harry hasn't come to terms with the prophecy yet, I don't think. Lucius knows this, and exploits it by offering him an alternative. I'm glad you like it, and here's more!

And, as always, I'm a review whore. So please give me feedback if you appreciated it! (or not, even. :-p)]

---

It was nine AM before Harry rose from bed. No doubt, Lucius thought with a smile, trying to avoid him. He half-listened, still somewhat concentrated on his book. The boy got in the shower, then dressed. And finally, he heard footsteps descending the stairs. Lucius put the book down and got up, leaning against the wooden doorframe casually.

"Good morning, Harry," he greeted the boy as he turned the corner.

Harry twirled in the direction of Lucius's voice. "You," he said coldly.

"Me," Lucius agreed.

"Why are you still here?"

Lucius fought back a smile; he had been right. "I haven't got to go to the Ministry today," he informed Harry.

"Oh." Harry entered the dining room – Lucius followed – snatched a piece of buttered toast off a platter, and ate it vacantly.

"You're brooding again," Lucius observed.

"I am not _brooding_," Harry snapped after swallowing the bread.

"You are. What are you angsting over now?" Lucius asked. Harry didn't answer, but instead stalked through the hall, threw open the door, and stalked outside. Lucius trailed him. "Harry, stop."

"You can't kiss me again, if that's what you're hoping for," Harry said shortly as he continued down the path to the lake.

Lucius laughed. "Is that _all_? You're overreacting."

"I think my reaction is perfectly justified." They reached the lake and Harry had a seat on a flat expanse of stone overlooking the clear water. Lucius sat next to him, despite the look Harry gave him as he did so.

"You're blowing it out of proportion," Lucius told him.

Harry picked up a stone and tossed it into the lake; they both watched as the ripples shimmered outward until they reached the shore. "I think my reaction is justified," he repeated stubbornly.

"Have you ever been kissed before?" Lucius asked.

Harry looked up in momentary surprise. "Yes."

"Like that?" he pressed on.

Harry squirmed. "Does it matter?"

"I'm interested," Lucius replied coolly. "Or perhaps you need a reminder." He pulled Harry closer to himself and ducked his head, kissing him again.

The boy didn't struggle, but pressed hesitantly into the kiss. In response, Lucius ran his fingers through the boy's dark, messy hair and pushed his lips apart with his tongue. He tasted warm, like butter and forbidden sex. Lucius pulled back gently into a more chaste kiss. Harry disentangled himself and pulled back. His cheeks were flushed and there was a slightly incredulous look in his bright eyes. He didn't speak, but instead smoothed his hair in that now-familiar motion.

"So how did I compare?" Lucius asked lightly.

"I can't believe I did that," Harry muttered.

"Oh, but you did," Lucius told him. "And you quite enjoyed it." He smoothed the front of his robe. "You know, Potter, for all the noise you make about it, I don't think you hate me nearly as much as you think you do," he said.

"Maybe not," Harry agreed neutrally. He scooped up a handful of pebbles up from the ground and tossed them into the lake idly. "Mr. Malfoy?"

"Lucius," he corrected.

"Lucius." He could tell that the name didn't fit well in Harry's mouth, but the boy continued. "I've been thinking a lot recently - "

Lucius's lips curled into a smile. "You haven't got to tell me that."

Harry ignored him. "I've been thinking about what you said. About the dark arts." Lucius leaned forward, resting his head in one palm. "And I want to learn."

"It's not whether you want to learn the dark arts," Lucius told him, "but whether you're willing to become a Death Eater in exchange for my instruction."

"I am," Harry replied, less eagerly.

Lucius pursed his lips. "Alright. We'll begin this evening."

"And when do I...?" Harry broke off, but Lucius saw how he had pushed up his left sleeve and was tracing a pattern upon his skin, as though to get used to the idea of having the Dark Mark.

"Later," Lucius told him dismissively. "The Dark Lord is busy at the moment."

"With _what_? I got the feeling he dedicated his life to plotting ways to killing me."

Lucius sighed. "Not quite. And you'd best learn to control that attitude," he warned as he rose from his place on the rock, "or you'll get killed."

Harry shrugged. "I'm only being honest."

"The Dark Lord only tolerates honesty when it's something he wants to hear," Lucius said wearily. "But I have things that need to be done. Don't expect me at lunch, but I'll join you for dinner."

Lucius left, but looked over his shoulder when he heard Harry picking up pebbles and tossing them into the water, one at a time. And after each he stopped and watched the ripples disturb the otherwise-calm water around it.

---

Lucius avoided Harry for much of the day. Of course, he had a legitimate excuse, and Harry was not expecting to see him, but Lucius's stomach had a horrible tendency to get twisted into a knot when he heard the boy's footsteps anywhere near his office. This morning had gone better than he had anticipated. Lord that boy could kiss. _I wonder where he got his practice_, Lucius thought idly as a half-smile crossed his face.

But he stopped at six-thirty, his hesitance to see Harry again be damned. He pulled the door open and was smoothing his hair when he heard, to his right, "You look fine, don't worry about it."

Lucius glanced over. Harry, of course. "Thank you, Potter, but I didn't require your input."

"Fine, then," Harry said sulkily, his eyes narrowing at the sudden cold attitude.

"Shall we?" Lucius asked formally, motioning to the dining room. He started in that direction and Harry followed.

They sat down opposite each other as they had last night. "Are you positive that you want to go through with this?" Lucius asked as they ate.

"Yes."

"And you aren't planning to learn the dark arts and then turn around and use them against me?" Lucius asked with a small smile.

"No."

"Right," Lucius said briskly. "You'll be taught the basics of the dark arts now, and you'll be made a Death Eater before the end of your holiday. We will, of course, take extra precautions to keep Dumbledore - " he said the name with a sneer " - from finding out."

"And if he does?" Harry pressed.

"He won't," Lucius answered shortly. "However, I must warn you, you would be in a prime position to work against him. So that will be a major task of yours, compiling information to be used against Dumbledore."

Harry didn't look so sure of himself now. "But..." he began desperately, "I don't want him _dead._ I just...."

"Harry," Lucius said harshly, "do you really think you can choose what you will and will not do for the Dark Lord? Once you're a Death Eater you're subject to carry out any whim he may have. Now are you sure you want to go through with this? I'm warning you now, it will be too late to back out later."

Harry looked up and Lucius noted a gleam in his eye. "I'll do it," he said quietly.

"That's good," Lucius replied amiably. He finished eating and pushed away his plate. "I'll be in the library," he told Harry, who nodded. "Once you're finished we'll get started." He strode off, his mind scheming of just what he was going to corrupt Potter with. In more ways than one.


	6. Sinful

[A/N – Yay, my first censored fic. The non-child-safe version is here:

http: awesomeopossum greatnow com / LH6 . htm

Hopefully that works. That's the best I can get... You should know the deal. Paste it into your browser, two slashes after the colon. Periods between the domain parts. I'm really sorry that it's so work-intensive for my reviewers, but FFN is just moody. :-p

Now to thank my reviewers:

**SlytherinGoth87** – I'm glad you liked it. :-) 

**Bound-to-Evanesce **– Harry is confused and reluctant about the prophecy, so he's going along with what Lucius says. And I'm glad you like it, and here's more.

**Tarawen **- Hehe, I didn't realize I could that sort of response.

**Jen **- I like the HP/LM parts too. :-) Harry's not sure he wants to be a Death Eater either, but. He'll figure it out within the next few chapters, and that's all I can say.

**DARKMARK33LV – **I can't answer your questions just yet, I'm sorry. But I'm glad you like it. :-)

**ShatteredxDream** – Thanks. :-) And Lucius is awesome. Here's more for you!]

---

Lucius heard him enter tentatively, closing the door behind him. He had no wand, but Lucius had remembered to bring it. Harry approached him, and he saw the disguised anxiety in the boy's eyes.

"Potter," Lucius greeted him impassively. He held Harry's wand out, and the boy reached for it, but Lucius pulled back. "You have to swear that you won't use it against anyone but our…subjects. If you do, I'll kill you right then, the Dark Lord's wishes be damned."

Harry's eyebrows shot up underneath his bangs. "Alright," he agreed. He took his wand, looking grateful to have it back in his possession.

Lucius extracted from his pocket a small bag that he dropped deliberately on the table. "I'm assuming that you've already had decent schooling in most self-defense concepts, so we won't focus on those. You don't _want_ to be using self-defense spells the entire time; you want to keep the upper hand whenever possible."

"Obviously," Harry said dryly.

Lucius shot him a look. "You don't know how often people don't remember this during a battle, and how many die as a result." He took out his own wand and spun it through his fingers. "However, there is one defensive spell I'd like to show you." He raised his wand and instinctively Harry clenched his own. "Relax." He did, hesitantly. "_Visitautamen_!"

Harry had braced himself, but not enough. He was knocked off his feet when the curse hit him. "Wow," he commented as he adjusted his glasses and got up, "that hurt."

"Don't come to rely on this, though," Lucius warned. "It's to be used when you need a moment to collect yourself, that's it." He curled his fingers around the drawstrings of the bag. "Now, for the rest of the curses, we'll use these." He opened the sack and pulled out half a dozen rocks collected from outside.

Harry looked at them perplexedly, and Lucius transfigured one into a gray mouse. "These curses can be rather...messy, but no matter, we can clean it up later."

"Messy?" Harry echoed.

Lucius cast a sideways glance at him. "Yes, and you'd best desensitize yourself to it before you have to battle anyone in earnest." He watched the mouse as he tugged on the ends of his white-blond hair. "Deciding what to begin with," he explained.

He let his hair fall back into place and he stood up straighter. "We'll start with a curse that sets your opponents on fire."

"But I already learned...." Harry began to object.

"This curse to be used only on living creatures and fatally," Lucius interrupted the protest. The incantation will be _exurocombust_. Go ahead." He waved his hand at the mouse.

Harry's wand hovered in midair uncertainly. "I'm going to kill it?"

"It's only a stone," Lucius reminded him.

He saw Harry's muscles tighten. "_Exurocombust!_" The mouse squealed as it was ignited. It ran in frantic circles, but that only fanned the flames. After what seemed an eternity, it collapsed on the table, charred and gory.

Harry stared at the remains of the mouse. "It's only a stone.…" he murmured under his breath. His face was ashen. "I'm going to be sick."

"Fine, but not in here." Lucius vanished the mouse with a wave of his wand. "We can pause for awhile if you'd like."

"No, it's okay," Harry answered, smoothing his hair agitatedly. "I'm okay." It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than anyone else.

Lucius pursed his lips. "Next will be disembowelment. The incantation for this will be _eviscero_. You may want to stand back when you cast it, though, as it's quite a spectacular explosion." He transfigured another stone into a rat, this time a white one.

Harry looked about ready to faint. But he dutifully stepped back a few paces and raised his wand. "_Eviscero!_" The rat had not even had a chance to examine its surroundings before it was blown apart with a shrill squeak. The table was spattered with blood and bits of fur, which Harry stared at in horror.

"That's it for the night," he said shakily. "I can't handle anymore."

Lucius nodded as he cleared the mess from the tabletop. "You did well tonight, Harry; I was impressed. For just a seventh-year, that was...well beyond what was expected of you."

"I must have some talent for hurting others," Harry snarled as he stalked away.

"Oh, don't take it like that." Lucius caught up with him. "You're a talented wizard in general. It's just that...." He hesitated. "Those curses take someone with a temperament predisposed to being a dark wizard to perform them that well that quickly. It surprised me that you could."

Harry looked up. "I'm predisposed to being a dark wizard," he said flatly. "What is it, then? My insanity? My sadism? What would be so flattering about being told _that_?"

"Your stubbornness, your temper, your power," Lucius answered, putting a hand around his shoulders.

"My parents would be so proud," Harry said coldly, stepping out of Lucius's reach. He slammed the door with enough force to shake the entire library, it sounded like. Lucius sighed and returned the rest of the stones to their bag.

---

Harry had retreated to his room to sulk, but Lucius let him. Of course he would be conflicted over this; he was learning the very art that had killed his parents. Still, Lucius mused as he tidied up the library, the boy was powerful. Much too powerful to let his talent be exploited by Dumbledore. Granted, it would still be exploited, but Potter would gain something for it.

He tucked the stones in his pocket and left the library. Harry would want solitude right now, time alone to brood and overanalyze. Lucius made his way up the polished staircase and knocked on the boy's door.

No answer. He knocked harder this time. "Potter, we both know you can hear me. May I come in?"

"Go to hell."

"Mm, not yet. First we need to talk."

"There's nothing left to talk about," Harry answered crossly. "Just leave me alone."

"I'd love to, but I can't. If you brood any longer you'll self-destruct." Lucius jiggled the doorknob. Locked, what a surprise. "Alohomora." The door opened.

Harry must have been anticipating it, because he was standing in the center of the room, wand ready. His gaze met Lucius's briefly. "Eviscero!"

Lucius had been caught offguard, and jumped back behind the wall reflexively. The curse hit the doorway, and there was a wooden crackle as it splintered. In the plaster above it, there was a spiderweb of cracks. Lucius stared at the damage the curse had caused on the frame; that had been meant for _him._

He strode into the room, and saw that Harry stood, shocked, where he had been before. Lucius snatched his wand out of his hand and slapped him brusquely across the face.

"You're not dead," Harry said, sounding surprised.

"Not for lack of trying on your part," Lucius replied coldly. He grabbed Harry's wrists and pushed him onto his bed. "I had decided that I could trust you with your wand," he informed Harry, held motionless on the bed by Lucius's grip. "Should I rethink that?" Harry remained silent. "And what of the promise that you wouldn't use magic against me? And didn't I threaten your life if you did?"

"Go ahead, then," Harry answered carelessly. "Right now, held down and unarmed. Just what I should expect from a Death Eater," he spat.

Lucius looked hard into those emerald eyes, glittering with adrenaline and defiance. He looked so cocky, despite that they both knew that Lucius could kill him effortlessly right then. Lucius conjured up shackles and secured them to Harry's wrists and bedframe. "You know, you seem so much prettier when you're angry," he commented off-handedly.

"Don't you dare touch me," Harry growled.

He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, and Lucius admired his muscles straining against the chains. "And if I do?" he asked mockingly, sliding his fingers along Harry's torso.

Harry squirmed, and Lucius slid a hand under the boy's shirt and tweaked each of his nipples in turn. Harry had to be enjoying this on some level, because they were already hard.

"Just let me," Lucius murmured as he leaned down and lightly kissed Harry's neck.

---

They both lay on the sheets, exhausted, sweating, and satisfied. Lucius absently fingered the places along his neck and shoulders where Harry had bit him. Well, it would be a turtleneck robe for tomorrow. He got off the bed and collected his clothes.

"Where're you going?" Harry asked, turning to watch him.

"Why're you suddenly so emotionally attached?" Lucius returned as he pulled on his pants. "I thought you wanted to kill me."

Harry didn't answer. Instead he crawled off the bed and entered the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind him. Lucius heard the shower being turned on as he redid the clasps down the front of his robe. He smoothed his hair as he left Harry's bedroom, wondering why the hell he had done it.


	7. Teach Me Everything You Know

[A/N – Another Wednesday, another chapter. :-) This one has been censored as well, for comparitively more graphic content. The full version can be found here:

http: awesomeopossum greatnow com / LH7 . htm

Hopefully FFN doesn't maul that… As last time, take out the spaces, periods between the parts of the domain, and slashes after the colon. Sorry it's really inconvenient, but FFN isn't a big fan of HTML. Bah.

Oh, and a request of y'all? I had someone tell me that there's a misspelling in the title. I speak no French whatsoever, I just thought that it made a pretty-sounding title and much more dramatic than anything in English. :-) It should translate to "The Momentary Encounter" or something similar. But the person who said there was a mistake didn't elaborate, nor did they leave an email address. Gah. So if anyone here speaks French and is willing to tell me what's wrong with it, I'd be very grateful. :-)

And of course, time to thank my reviewers. :-)

**xikum – **I emailed you personally awhile ago about your review, but thank you again for taking the time to leave me feedback. It's always appreciated. :-)

**ShatteredxDream – **Yay, a faithful reviewer, how cool. :-) And I don't think they'll ever admit to love. Lucius _does_ care about what happens to Harry, but he can't bring himself to admit to loving him. It's more passionate and lusty than loving, really. But there's a hint of a relationship somewhere, so. Hm.

**DARKMARK33LV – **Mm, well, who doesn't love some Lucius/Harry action? :-D I'm glad you like the story, and I hope I'm posting fast enough to satisfy you. :-)

**Enola – **Emailed you, but thank you again. So incredibly cool to get a review from an author I really admire. :-) And also thank you for telling me that FFN completely obliviated the original link, I had no idea… Bah. :-p

**Tarawen – **I'm glad you like it, and here's more. :-)

**Megwin – **Well, Harry's not turning _evil_, per se. But he's working toward self-preservation since he's become more realistic and worried about the situation with Voldemort. Nobody views their own actions as evil, he's just being kind of selfish. :-) Here's the next chapter for you.

**treana – **I always thought Lucius's composure was super-sexy. :-D As for Harry's mood swings, hehe, you can't blame him, he's in unfamiliar territory and situations and ideas, _and_ he's being seduced by Lucius Malfoy. And I got rid of the complications of Draco and Narcissa by sending them off on a convenient holiday to Switzerland, as I mentioned a couple chapters ago. :-) Because stories where Lucius/Harry is established, and Draco knows and is supportive? Way OOC, it always tends to be, and I'm not talented enough to keep him in character. Of course, he would hate the idea, but I don't feel that _that_ would lend anything to the story either. And I may begin babbling, so I'll wrap this up. :-) Glad you like the story.

**The Greekie – **Hm. Well, Harry still doesn't know how to feel about becoming a Death Eater. On one hand (as I've mentioned before), he's realizing with this self-preservation joining Voldemort means he _won't_ get killed, always a good thing. On the other, the idea of joining the people who killed his parents and godfather is really messing with his head. On the third hand, Lucius is a sexy persuasive bastard. :-) And I've actually got the entire story written, so the suggestions, while interesting, might go to waste on me. :-p Sorry. And thank you for the offer of being a beta, but I'm all set already. :-) Glad you're enjoying the story.

**CassandraRaven – **Whee, it's fun to keep track of your name changes. :-P Hehe, no, it's cool. I'm glad you liked it, and I hope I'm updating fast enough for you.

**riantlykalopsic – **Not too much more, I'm sorry to say. We've got this update, and then two more chapters that will both be posted next Wednesday. Then I don't know what I'm going to do. :-P Glad you like it so far.

Aaand, that's it. Onto the fic! :-)]

---

The tension in the manor had been smothering for the past few days. Lucius had decided that Harry would have to approach him. And Harry, equally stubborn, had decided to avoid Lucius completely. Lucius hadn't seen the boy in seventy-two hours. He was taking his meals in his room, according to the house elves, and was only venturing out after Lucius had left for the Ministry.

He had noticed missing, or misplaced, dark arts books from his library, but he had Potter's wand, so it didn't matter anyway.

It was Thursday evening when Lucius saw Harry again. He had just returned home, via the fireplace, and emerged from the cottage to the grounds. To his right was the lake, and he could faintly see Harry's figure against the bright, star-spotted sky.

He decided to break the silence, and approached the lake. Harry was sitting on a flat rock, throwing stones into the water. He either didn't hear Lucius, or chose not to acknowledge him. Ker-plunk. "That's effective," Lucius commented drily.

_Ker-plunk!_ That one had been thrown so violently that the water nearly lappped at Harry's ankles. "You must be cold," Lucius persisted, brushing his fingers down Harry's exposed arms.

Harry shivered, but said icily, "I'm fine."

Lucius pulled his coat off and draped it around Harry's shoulders. Harry left it there, but picked up and tossed another stone viciously.

He was aiming a fourth when Lucius removed it from the boy's hand. "That's enough, Potter." Harry didn't even look up, but bent to get another rock. "Potter," he repeated, taking the boy by the shoulders.

"Don't touch me," Harry said, shrugging his hands off.

Lucius grabbed Harry's wrists and pulled him up off the rock. "You're brooding." They started down a path.

"I'm thinking," Harry answered defensively. He pulled his wrists out of Lucius's grip, but put on his coat.

"About what?" Lucius asked with interest.

Harry sighed. "I'll need my wand back."

"I don't trust you with it."

"Please," Harry begged. "I was stupid to agree to this. I don't want to learn dark arts anymore, I've had enough, I just want to go back to how things were. "

"No."

"Why not?"

"You may not pull out of this whenever it suits you. It's too late, you're in this for good now."

"I don't want to be," Harry said desperately.

"Then I'll take you to the Dark Lord and you'll be killed," Lucius told him.

"Fine."

Lucius stopped and studied him. "You can't be serious."

"I am," Harry said.

"You have such amazing potential-"

"To kill people," Harry cut him off. "I know, you told me."

"To be powerful. Respectful. Feared."

"I don't want to be feared," Harry said in frustration. "I just want to be normal."

Lucius laughed bitterly. "You haven't been _normal_ since you were a year old."

"Well, if I were to practice dark arts it certainly wouldn't help matters, would it?" Harry argued.

"You would be known for what you've _done_, not who you are."

"I would be known for murder," Harry answered scornfully.

Lucius draped an arm around the boy's shoulders, leaned in closer, and murmured in his ear, "You would be known for your greatness."

Harry disgustedly pushed him away and walked farther ahead. "I'd rather not be."

"Then I should kill you now."

"That's okay," Harry shrugged.

"It's not," Lucius answered. Harry looked back at him. "_I'm_ not okay with it."

"With all due respect," Harry snapped, "I don't see how this would affect you."

Silently Lucius slipped his hand into Harry's and led him back to the manor.

---

It was the first night in three that they had dined together, and the atmosphere was laced with awkwardness. Harry ate quickly without looking up, evidently _still_ brooding. Lucius contemplated casting a Cruciatus on him just to get some noise out of the boy. "After dinner we'll continue your dark arts education," he mentioned casually.

Harry slammed his fork down in unexpected anger. "I told you I'm not doing anymore."

"And I told you that you may not quit," Lucius replied, irritated.

"You can't make me continue."

Lucius leaned over the table. "You don't think I could manage Imperius?" he hissed. "You will learn the dark arts. By choice or by force is your decision."

They both finished dinner without any conversation. Lucius stood and told him, "I'll be in the library, and you'd best show up. There will be consequences if you don't."

Harry didn't answer, but Lucius saw him clench his fists briefly. "You have a half hour to be there, Potter." He left.

---

The library door creaked open in hesitation. "Come in," Lucius called. "I'm in the back."

Harry emerged from behind an oak bookcase, looking angry to be here, but here nonetheless.

"I have a request to make of you," Lucius began, idly fingering a leather-bound volume. Harry raised an eyebrow. "If you decide to study dark arts on your own time - " Harry blushed darkly " - then at the _very _least put my books back in place. Furthermore I'd appreciate if you ended the hypocrisy of pretending to be above dark arts, and then studying them once you are out of my sight."

Harry's eyes narrowed, and he looked ready to argue, but Lucius interrupted, "Don't make excuses, it's okay." He again tossed the bag of stones onto the table. "What did you learn?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing you'll admit to."

Harry nodded impassively.

Lucius extracted a stone and transfigured it into a mouse. "Show me the disembowelment curse, then."

"As if you don't know it well enough already," Harry muttered.

"Crucio," Lucius said lazily.

Harry had not experienced the pain awhile, and when the curse hit him his knees gave out and he bit down on his lip to keep from crying out. Lucius waited patiently while Harry suffered the curse. When it was over, he repeated calmly, "Show me the disembowelment curse."

He offered Harry his wand, and the boy snatched it out of his palm angrily. "Eviscero," he said through clenched teeth. Blood spattered across the table as the mouse was torn apart, but this time Harry didn't even flinch.

"Good boy," Lucius said with approval. He cleaned the tabletop with a sweep of his wand. He transfigured another stone. "Now," he said, lightly stroking the mouse's fur, "let's try a new curse. The incantation is Concutiossis."

"And what does it do?" Harry asked guardedly.

"You'll see." Lucius let the mouse go and looked expectantly at Harry.

He pointed his wand at the helpless creature. "Concutiossis!"

The mouse's shrill squeak was cut short as it collapsed on the table, limbs twisted at grotesque angles. Shards of bone broke through the skin and blood stained the wounds.

"It shatters all of the bones, save the spine and skull, in the body," Lucius said without looking up. "It will die eventually, of course, but it will go through quite a bit of agony first." The mouse was still struggling, unable to squeal in pain due to its collapsed ribcage. "In a sense, these are...worse than what I've taught you so far, for the death is neither instant nor relatively painless." He reached for the velvet bag.

"Aren't you going to clean this up?" Harry asked with uneasiness, motioning to the writhing creature.

"No," Lucius answered tersely. He dropped a rock on the table. "Are you paying attention, Potter?"

"Yes."

"Velicruento, then." He transfigured a second stone into a mouse. This one sensed the danger in the atmosphere, and scurried away. Harry picked it up calmly and set it back in the center of the table. "Velicruento."

The fur uncoiled from around the mouse like a long ribbon. Muscles and bone were visible in the pool of blood the creature had formed. Harry kept his eyes trained on the gore, aware that Lucius was watching him. The mice crawled together, curled in a pool of their own blood, and became still. Harry was also.

Lucius draped an arm around his shoulders, and Harry subconsciously pulled closer. "I don't want to see you cry," Lucius warned.

"I wasn't planning to," Harry answered.

"Do you want to continue tonight?"

Harry glanced at the mice, then back at Lucius. "I want you to teach me everything you know."

---

They worked all night, fueled only by adrenaline and determination. When dawn's sunny fingertips reached the library windows, Lucius checked a pocketwatch and picked up his velvet bag. "It's seven AM, and I need to be at the Ministry by eight. We'l get cleaned up, changed, and have breakfast in a half hour."

They met again in the dining room, two omelettes placed in front of their seats. "When I return, we'll continue," Lucius told him. "And in three days' time I'll take you to the Dark Lord." Harry nodded silently. "You're not protesting?"

He looked up. "I'm going to finish what I started, and not regret any of it."

"Good to hear." The conversation died, but it was a comfortable silence. They finished, and Lucius rose from his seat. "I've got to go. I'll see you tonight. Don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone." He took Harry by the shoulders, leaned over, and kissed him softly on the lips. Harry was unaccustomed to this show of tenderness, but leaned back and tilted his head upwards. He bit and sucked Lucius's lips in tiny kisses, throwing his arms around his neck. Harry's fingers tangled in Lucius's hair, and he stood, pressing their bodies together. In return, Lucius slid his tongue into Harry's mouth, tasting and nibbling and sucking. He was reaching for Harry's zipper, when the boy pushed him away abruptly. Lucius composed himself and glared at him. "Is there a problem?"

"You're going to be late," Harry reminded him breathlessly.

Lucius pulled out his pocketwatch again and glanced at it. "We'll finish this when I get home." He smoothed his hair from having Harry's hands tangled in it, straightened the front of his robes, and reluctantly left. Harry watched him go, wishing he didn't have to, and returned to the library.

---

Lucius pushed the library door open silently. Harry was curled up in front of a fireplace with a book in his lap. Lucius strode in, coming to a stop beside the armchair. "Are you ready?"

Harry closed the book quickly, looking startled. "Yeah." He set the book down and reached for his wand.

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "We'll forego dark arts until tomorrow." In one motion he lifted Harry and carried him out of the library.

"You don't need to carry me," Harry protested lightly as he wrapped his arms around Lucius's neck.

"You'll need your strength for later," Lucius hissed, biting Harry's throat lightly.

They turned into the dark hallway beside the library, and Harry tensed. "I don't want to be in here."

"You're safe," Lucius promised. He pushed open a heavy door and stepped inside, shutting the door behind himself.

There was a low table in the center of the room, and Harry was dropped onto this. Lucius grabbed the bottom of the boy's shirt. "Do you trust me?" he asked, staring into Harry's emerald eys.

"I think you would do this no matter what I answered," Harry replied, obediently pulling off his shirt.

Lucius pushed him backwards, and forced his wrists into clamps at the top of the table. Harry struggled as they locked shut. "Relax," Lucius murmured. He did, but only barely. Lucius continued, unzipping Harry's slacks slowly and watching the boy's reaction. He flinched upon feeling the cool air on his thighs, and Lucius brushed his fingertips along the soft, tanned skin. He hooked a finger in the waistband of Harry's boxers and pulled them down slowly.

---

Lucius murmured a spell to clean him up, and retrieved another bottle from a nightstand. "Hold still." He unscrewed the lid; there was a sweet-smelling balm inside. "This will only be temporary relief, mind. But you can appreciate it for the time being." He rubbed it along Harry's body, focusing on the marks that the clamps had made on his skin. Harry purred again, relaxing at Lucius's touch. The situation wasn't so much sexual as it was...sensual. Comfortable. Nearly loving. Lucius massaged the liquid into Harry's skin. When all spots had been covered, Lucius rescrewed the lid. "Better?"

"Yeah." Harry moved over as Lucius again joined him in bed.

"Get some sleep, Harry. God knows you need it." He pulled the covers over both of them with one hand, and the other was wrapped possessively around the boy.


	8. Unexpectedly

[A/N – Did you notice the new title? (Kind of. :-p) A big THANK YOU to **kittenBabyGirl, **who pointed out that I was missing an e in the title. Because I'm a loser who doesn't speak French, and I just used a translator. And she's awesome and corrected it. :-)

I'm updating this with two chapters now, because I'm going on vacation from Friday until the Saturday after and I don't want to keep y'all waiting two weeks for the final chapter.

Yeah, final chapter's the one after this. I suppose I'll have more to say in the note for that, but let's thank the reviewers now.

**TheSecretCharacter – **Yay, I popped someone's Lucius/Harry cherry. Glad you like it. And I'm especially glad you like the characterization, because it, at times, drove me up a wall to keep Harry in character _and_ shagging Lucius Malfoy. As the two seemed mutually exclusive. Oh, and I love the shackles too. :-) They somehow make their way into waaay too much of my writing, go figure…. Hehe. Here's more for you.

**CassandraRaven – **Bah, I like your numerous and often-changed pennames. No, really. :-p Glad you like it, and here's another update for you.

**treana – **Harry has been oscillating between good and evil the entirety of this fic, and I still don't know which he'll choose ultimately. And yes, I felt so very sorry for the mice, but the alternative is practicing on people. :-p Yeah, Draco's not making an appearance in this fic, but. Well. I can't say anymore just yet. :-p Sorry. Glad you like it so far, though. :-)

**kittenBabyGirl – **Hehe, hopefully you read the first part of the author's note. :-)

**DarkWolfyOne – **Wow. I'm so flattered. :-) Lucius/Harry is my favorite pairing in the book despite no canonical evidence (if that makes sense…) and I hope the fic does it justice. As for Darker!Harry, well. Harry's not sure which side he wants right now. Lucius had a pretty convincing argument in favor of joining them, but it clashes with his beliefs for the past six years. I don't even know yet how he'll turn out. But here's more for you. :-)

**riantlykalopsic – **Glad you liked it. This story was the first time I went for a serious, all-out sex scene, and the last chapter was really the big one. Chapter 6 was just a dry run. :-p But yeah, was really worried about how it'd be taken. Glad you approved. :-)

**Enola – **Heh, you just _know_ that Lucius is into the sort of sex where it's a power exchange. And no, Harry doesn't protest because the entire thing to him is just so damn hot. :-D Voldemort sees the untrained power in Harry, and as such is really really interested on getting him on their side so he doesn't kick all their asses. Harry, being so ardently anti-Dumbledore right now, doesn't see that if he joins the Death Eaters he'll be just as used by them as he is by Albus. He'll come to the conclusion eventually, I suppose. But. Heh, I'm about to say too much. :-) You'll see.

**DARKMARK33LV – **Heh, I've been trying to keep to a schedule so you all don't die of boredom between long updates. I'm glad you love it so enthusiastically. :-)

**Draco MalfoyGirl 16 – **Glad you like it, updating. :-)

**Sabby-chan Yaoi Fan – **Everyone appreciates a good fuck once in a while. :-) They _do_ care about each other, in some odd non-traditional way, but neither of them really have the personality where they'd openly admit it and get all cuddly and cute. So instead to express themselves they just stick to the sex. :-) I wish you the best of luck in finding your acquaintance-with-benefits, and I updated. :-)

---

Lucius wasn't needed at the Ministry that morning – thank god, he had thought with a smile, for he would be too exhausted and satiated and _content_ to wish to do much. So he and Harry slept in, rising around nine-thirty for breakfast.

He noted that Harry crawled out of bed rather gingerly. Lucius tossed him a bathrobe, which he pulled on gratefully. "I'll go and get dressed."

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "It will make breakfast entirely less interesting."

Harry gave him a look, half amused and half unsure, and left.

Lucius dressed lazily, in no hurry to be downstairs. He noticed Harry's glasses on the nightstand, forgotten in his rush to leave. He pocketed them, finished dressing, and went to meet Harry.

He pushed the door open just as Harry had clasped the front of his green turtleneck robes. Lucius handed him his glasses silently and they went downstairs.

They had barely sat down at the dining table when a barn owl tapped at the window.

Lucius frowned slightly and Harry noticed. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not expecting any letters," Lucius explained, "and they're sent to the Ministry unless it's urgent." He pulled the window open, letting the bird inside. It offered him an envelope, which Lucius tossed upon the table. He grabbed a chipped dish from the counter, set aside for the occasion, and filled it with water.

Harry studied the envelope, addressed in charismatic angular writing and sealed with silver wax. He looked closely at the seal, a bumblebee hovering with curiosity around what looked like violets. "Can I open it?"

"No," Lucius replied shortly as he put the dish in front of the owl before turning back to the table. "Let me have it." Harry handed it to him reluctantly, and Lucius removed the seal with a knife. "What could Dumbledore possibly want now?" he asked, half to himself.

Harry looked up sharply. "It's from Dumbledore?"

Lucius resumed eating as he pointed to the seal. "His, personally. So it's not Hogwarts business." He pulled out a cream-colored sheet of paper and unfolded it.

Harry watched with interest. "What does he want?" Lucius quieted him with a single raised finger and scanned the letter. Wordlessly he refolded the paper and continued eating. "Well?" Harry asked impatiently.

"Finish your breakfast."

"Is it about me?"

"Finish your breakfast," Lucius repeated tersely.

"Why would Dumbledore think to look for me _here_?"

"He's accurate, isn't he?" Lucius shrugged. "However, he is not to know this. You'll be taken to the Dark Lord tonight."

Harry paled. "I'm not ready."

"Nobody ever is, entirely. But you will go tonight nonetheless. We will work more with the dark arts today." Harry nodded.

Lucius reached across the table and squeezed Harry's hand. "You're doing a good thing, you know."

"I know," Harry said quietly, not sounding as though he believed it.

"Potter, what do _you_ want?"

"I don't want any part of any of this," Harry answered.

"That's not an option though. Pity, isn't it? I'll work with you all day to compensate."

"Okay." But he didn't sound as though he was at all looking forward to it.

---

They really did work all day long. Harry looked absolutely drained, but Lucius pushed him harder. The incantations were half-hearted, sometimes so much so that they backfired and Lucius had to cast a hasty _finite incantatum_. The clock had just struck eight when Harry dropped his wand onto the bloodstained tabletop. "I can't do any more."

"You have to," Lucius answered, thrusting his wand back into his palm. "We'll stop when I allow you to stop. Now, let's go over the Unforgivables; they're important. Imperius?"

"Imperio," Harry murmured. The mouse backflipped.

"Cruciatus."

"Crucio," he said tiredly. The mouse's shrill squeaks no longer even fazed him.

"Killing curse."

He had noted the boy getting progressively paler as the night wore on, but by now his features were chalky and dull. He raised his wand. "Avada Kedavra." The mouse fell, dead, onto the table. At the same time, Harry's knees gave out and he wilted to the floor.

Lucius scooped him up and carried him to the kitchen. He dropped Harry into a chair and pulled out a bottle. "Sir?" a house elf asked uncertainly, unaccustomed to seeing him in the kitchen.

"Just stay out of the way." He poured brandy into a glass, pressing it to Harry's lips. The boy's eyelashes fluttered, and he squirmed. He wrapped his hands around the glass tentatively. "Sip it," Lucius instructed him as he pulled up a chair opposite.

Harry complied. "Don't make me do anymore," he begged.

Lucius shrugged. "If you feel prepared."

"I guess." Harry set the glass down and rose from his seat. "I need to go wash up or something."

Lucius waved a permissive hand. "We'll be leaving at ten."

---

"Potter? Are you ready?" Lucius called from downstairs. Harry checked his appearance in a mirror one last time, and reluctantly pushed the door open. _You're doing a good thing_, he reminded himself. _It's in your best interest. _He was going to be sick.

Lucius was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, and smiled when Harry descended the steps. "Let's go." He slipped his hand into Harry's and they left the manor.

Harry shivered when the cool air licked his skin. Lucius led him to a stone statue of a snake hidden in the shadows. "Hold on tight," he warned as he pressed both his and Harry's palms to the stone. Harry felt the familiar jerk of a Portkey and a blur of colors flashed before him.

They reappeared in a hollowed tree trunk, big enough to accommodate a dozen people. Harry felt a spiderweb brush his cheeks, and scrubbed at them viciously. Lucius, however, looked entirely at ease, and led him into a clearing.

Harry looked around uneasily, and Lucius laughed. "We have a while to walk." They entered a grove of trees. "You're not having second thoughts, are you?"

Harry looked up into those cool gray eyes. "It doesn't matter if I am or not, does it?"

"I'll take that as a yes." Harry was pulled closer; he neither struggled nor returned the touch. "Potter?"

"What?"

"You're shaking."

"Don't worry about it." Harry pulled back. "I'm just cold."

"Mm." He turned sharply, disappearing into thick foliage. Harry followed.

"Where are we going?"

Lucius looked back at him. "That's a stupid question," he remarked.

"I mean…." Harry trailed off. "Where, physically, are we going?"

"I don't know," Lucius replied shortly. "The Dark Lord never meets with a Death Eater twice in the same location. This way."

For not knowing where he was going, Lucius strode rather confidently through the forest; Harry often had to jog a few paces to catch up. He was beginning to wonder if he was merely being led in circles when Lucius stopped. "In here."

The air felt icy and smothering, and Harry was reluctant to blame it on his imagination. Lucius pushed him into a clearing, and Harry shot him an irritated look. But Lucius's gaze was elsewhere.

"My Lord," Lucius greeted.

Voldemort stood, a gaunt silhouette, in the center of the clearing. "Lucius," he returned. "Harry." He looked up at Lucius. "It looks as though everything went smoothly," he remarked. "Here, of his own volition, even. I must admit, I am impressed."

Harry looked back in confusion at Lucius, who took him by the shoulders. "Everything was planned beforehand. You fell into it perfectly."

"Everything?" Harry repeated numbly.

Lucius chuckled. "Every single detail," he purred, sliding his hands down Harry's body, "right down to our – "

"No!" Harry pushed Lucius away forcefully, angry at this new revelation.

"You may leave now, Lucius," Voldemort said in a bored tone. "Your presence is flustering him."

"Yes, my Lord," Lucius answered obediently with a quick bow. "He disappeared again into the forest, leaving Harry standing, alone, in front of the Dark Lord.

"Harry. I can't tell you how pleased I am that you have decided to join the Death Eaters. It will be such an honor to have the _Boy-Who-Lived_ among us."

"I'm not doing it for you," Harry spat back.

Voldemort took Harry's jaw in cold, reptilian hands. "But you see, everything done by Death Eaters is done for me. Those who do not end up dead. Now hold still." He withdrew his wand from a pocket and took Harry's left arm. "This will hurt. And you will be killed if you scream."

He touched his wand to Harry's skin, causing an unpleasant jolt up his arm and traced the Dark Mark into his forearm. Harry bit down on his lip, harder as the pain increased. He broke the skin, staining the inside of his mouth with the metallic taste of blood. But still he didn't make a sound. The gaunt skull was completed, flesh red and raw.

Tears burned at the back of his eyes, and he was ready to collapse, but he stood motionless as Voldemort carefully sketched the snake. His head pounded and his arm was nearly completely numb. Still he watched as the wand seared his skin.

Voldemort deliberately lifted his wand. "It's over." He turned to leave, and feeling abruptly returned to Harry's arm. He grabbed his wrist, screamed, and collapsed to his knees. Then time shattered.


	9. The Aftermath

_Holy hell_, was Harry's first thought upon waking. _Ow. Wow, that hurts…_. _Why is it so cold? Where am I?_ He squinted and found himself staring up at thick white clouds. He got to his feet, brushing dirt off himself, and looked around. Trees in every direction. Of course. Last night came back in a flood of memories, most clearly evidenced by the Dark Mark carved into his skin. He fingered the raw flesh, and immediately wished he hadn't. Searing pain shot up his entire arm, not as bad as last night, but unpleasant nonetheless.

He decided to return to the trees he thought Lucius had led him from. He would find the Portkey, return to the Malfoy Manor, and demand that Lucius send him back home. He ducked into the grove of trees.

He was looking for the one big enough to hold a dozen people, but every tree looked identical to him. He remembered Lucius's route was long, full of twists and turns. Probably on purpose. Harry ran his hand through his hair agitatedly and dropped it back at his side. His palm fell across his wand, burrowed in the confines of his pocket. Hastily he pulled it out.

"I could Apparate," he murmured. "Nothing's stopping me." He raised his wand. "Apparatum Malfoy Manor."

He reappeared in a warm, well-furnished cottage. Looking out of the windows, he saw the sprawling green of the Malfoys' lawn. He pocketed his wand and carefully pulled down his left sleeve. Time to face Lucius.

He walked across the vast yard and let himself in. The familiar gold and marble hall greeted him. And standing in the middle of it, their backs turned and immersed in conversation, were Lucius and Dumbledore.

"I told you, I have no idea where Potter – " Harry interrupted Lucius by slamming the front door deliberately. Both of them turned around.

Lucius's complexion turned ashen as his gaze met Harry's. But Dumbledore offered him a smile and said warmly, "Good morning, Harry."

"Morning, Professor," Harry returned shortly before focusing his attention on Lucius. "You _bastard_," he growled. "You left me there to _die_. You manipulated me, lied to me, wouldn't give a damn if I got killed. I don't want to be dragged into your politics. Those spells you taught me? You deserve to have them used against you, _every single one_, and kept alive and conscious the entire time." In one fluid motion, he had his wand out and pointed at Lucius's chest. He was breathing hard. "Eviscero!" Lucius hastily constructed a glowing shield that absorbed the curse, but he looked shaken.

"Harry," Dumbledore said quietly. In his anger, Harry had forgotten he was even there. "You'll come with me. Lucius, I'll speak with you later."

"Yes, Professor," Lucius murmured.

He left Lucius's side, took Harry's wand from his fingers, and opened the front door. "_Come_, Harry." Harry reluctantly turned and followed, but not before shooting Lucius a last murderous look.

Dumbledore walked up to the statue in the front yard. "Headmaster's office in Hogwarts," he told the stone statue clearly. He motioned for Harry to press his palm onto the stone, doing the same. With the familiar tug behind his navel, color swirled around them and they were gone.

They appeared in the center of Dumbledore's circular office. Dumbledore took a seat behind his desk and motioned Harry to a chair. He sat hesitantly, wanting to be anywhere but there.

The old man lifted his glasses and rubbed his eyes wearily. "I have so many questions, I don't know where to begin." Harry shrugged. "If I were to question you, would you even answer honestly?"

"You have no reason not to trust me."

"I do," Dumbledore answered sadly, "if you're associating with Lucius Malfoy and dabbling in dark arts."

"What difference does it make to you?" Harry asked with disgust. "You're trying to shield me from dark arts, all things that aren't good and wholesome, but how much longer can that go on? Voldemort wants me dead _now_, you can't fight dark magic with light spells. It's not _fair_ for you to confine me like this, to handpick what I can and can't learn – "

"Be _quiet_," Dumbledore told him firmly. "I've heard all of your justifications before."

"You have?" Harry asked skeptically.

"Yes. From a twenty-five-year-younger Lucius Malfoy." Dumbledore leaned across the desk. "And no matter how passionately you feel about it, I cannot let you fall into the same trap he did."

"Why do you care?"

"Because you are like a son to me," Dumbledore answered simply. "You don't understand what you're doing – "

Harry got up abruptly, nearly tipping the chair over. "You condescending bastard," he hissed, "I _do_ understand what I've gotten into, that's why I'm doing it. _You're _the one who doesn't understand, you're so tied up in your own agenda – "

"Harry, stop. I wasn't finished."

Harry threw himself back into the chair and stared at the floor sulkily.

"You don't understand. I'm sorry if you take offense at that, but you don't. Becoming a Death Eater is an emotional and physical drain. Why do you think Lord Voldemort is so powerful?" He paused, but Harry remained silent. "The Dark Mark serves as a binding to Voldemort, but it also acts as a channel of power – from his supporters to himself. This causes problems for most Death Eaters, leading to poor health and an early death. I can't even predict what it will do to you." Harry slid his hand across the Dark Mark subconsciously. "What were you thinking?" Dumbledore sighed. "I don't know what's going to happen. You and he are linked in ways nobody, including myself, fully understand. This may end up killing one or both of you."

"If it does, that's the consequence and I'm willing to risk it."

"Harry. Realistically, how would this benefit you?" Dumbledore asked.

"Because otherwise I'm going to end up _dead_," Harry spat. "I told you, you can't fight dark spells with light magic."

"If you're so insistent _I'll_ teach you dark magic," Dumbledore answered. "I forbid you to join Voldemort."

"Thanks for the offer, but I'd rather learn it from somebody competent," Harry answered coldly.

Dumbledore sighed. "Then you won't be learning it at all. There's really nothing else to say on the subject. You may go now. You will be spending the remainder of the summer at Hogwarts; your belongings will be mailed to you."

Harry rose silently and stalked out of the office. A house elf was waiting for him. He bowed shortly and led Harry to his room.

---

Harry was about ready to fall asleep after a tiring day of doing nothing, when he heard the noise, a gentle _tap tap tap_ on the windowsill. He pushed the covers off himself and got up groggily, lighting the candles with a flick of his wand. A barn owl was perched on the narrow ledge, looking at him curiously. Harry pushed the glass up and let the bird in.

The envelope was addressed to him in shimmering green ink. He slid a nail under the seal as he opened Hedwig's cage for the visitor, who fluttered in gratefully. The owl took up almost all the space, and Harry was glad Hedwig wasn't in there as well. His aunt had grudgingly fed her on occasion while Harry was gone, but she had been locked up in her cage the entire time. Tonight was the first in weeks she was let out of her cage, and she was taking advantage of it.

The letter was written neatly on cream-colored parchment, a change from hastily-written scraps from his friends. Harry's breath hitched in his chest when he recognized the writing as Lucius's. Heart pounding, he unfolded the letter.

Harry – 

_I apologize for last night and this morning; you left so quickly I didn't have a chance to explain myself. Hopefully you're not so angry with me that you won't read this._

_Yes, I had conspired with the Dark Lord about the events that took place in these past few weeks. We had a general idea of how you would react, and tailored it daily. However, I did not tell him of our…trysts. Those will remain a secret._

_Nearly everything I did was fueled politically. I'm sorry. You're free to feel used, because you were. Any other way would have gotten both of us killed. I'm willing to sacrifice myself to Lord Voldemort, but not you. Never you._

_I know that sounds inconsistent with how I acted, but I do not expect you to become a Death Eater. The Dark Mark is merely a symbol; it's truly your actions that distinguish someone as loyal to the Dark Lord. I could not have prevented you from getting the Dark Mark, otherwise I would have. But that shall just have to be your cross to bear._

_I'm sorry for tarnishing your innocence, your body, your mind. Perhaps you're able to forgive me, but I would understand if you weren't. All I needed was a chance to explain myself._

_Lucius_

After Harry's eyes had scanned the elegant signature, both parchment and envelope dissolved in his fingertips, to sand, to ash, to nothing at all. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "Could you stay while I write a reply?" he asked the owl, who hooted gently in affirmation. Harry picked up a quill, contemplating what to write.

Then he dropped it back onto the desk. "Nevermind," he told the barn owl. "There's nothing left to say." The owl hooted a second time and flew out the open window.

Harry stared after the bird, shutting the window slowly. It was over. There would be consequences – he ran his hand across the Dark Mark. Difficult, severe consequences, for everyone. But he was tired of thinking about it, talking about it. It hurt, and there was nothing left to say.

---

[A/N – And thus ends the story of _La Rencontre Momentanée_. I know that it doesn't seem like all the ends were tied up, but I'm going to talk about that. If you read none of the other author's notes in the story, read this one, it's important. (Then again, for people who didn't read them, they'd miss that, wouldn't they? :-P)

I began this story back in May, to write Lucius/Harry interaction mainly. There was a plot behind it, but that was secondary. At least initially. As I continued writing I found myself more and more interested in Harry's dark side, why Voldemort wanted him, why Lucius acted as he did. And that's why I'm writing a sequel that will be more plot-driven with some Lucius/Harry interaction in it. As opposed to this fic, where it was the other way around.

I actually didn't even consider a sequel until I posted chapter seven. So it had been finished for a while before and the sequel was kind of… unmeditated but a good idea. I've begun it and you'll see it in three weeks to a month, hopefully. I also have a general rule (frequently broken, but a rule nonetheless) that war and politics in fiction stories is boring. So the sequel will still be really interaction-driven, but this time with more people – Harry's back at Hogwarts, as are his peers, and he's got more than enough to deal with.

As I mentioned before in the chapter eight note, I'm taking an eight-day vacation very shortly, where I hopefully can write several more chapters of the sequel (as yet untitled, which is why it's just, for now, 'the sequel'. :-p) I'll see you all later, and hope you enjoyed _La Rencontre Momentanée_ as much as I did.

- Awesome Opossum]


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